Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Dubai holds the graduation of Nomu Al Ghurair Women in its AI programme and works with the Abdulla al Ghurair Foundation (AGF) and pioneering educational institutions in Zakha. This event recognized the achievements of 70 Emirati & Arab women successfully completed a 20-week AI certification program in Zaka, founded to enhance the skill abilities of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the United Arab Emirates.
The ceremony hosted by Zaka co-founder and head of partnership Larissa Abi Nakhle welcomed RIT Dubai President Dr Yousef Al Assaf and Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation CEO Dr. Sonia Ben Jaafar. In her opening remarks, Dr. Ben Jaafar emphasized the Foundation's dedication to raising Emirati women and helping them enter the AI job market, and emphasizing becoming a leader in the digital future in the region.
To the alumni, Dr. Ben Jaffer said, “You stepped into a field dominated by men, bold and fearless. You are a spark of movement. The UAE innovation economy is not built by women like you.
Welcoming guests on behalf of Rit Dubai, Dr. Al Assaf provided an overview of the six centers to be launched as campus development continues, and invited alumni to explore opportunities for collaboration with the university. Speaking about the importance of maintaining human values in advancement in technology, Dr. Al Asaf said, “Smart machines are not replacing work, they create jobs, but AI speaks of emotions, but they don't have emotions. We need to make sure that human elements are integrated into the code they develop to develop to live a better life.”
The event advanced the awarding of certificates to a cohort of students representing the UAE and other Arab countries. This graduation marked the culmination of a highly selective and challenging programme that combines skills with job reading skills to prepare candidates for the future of the work. The program is set in the context of expected expansion in the Middle East AI sector, with expected annual growth rates ranging from 20-34%, predicting a potential impact of $320 billion by 2030.
As part of the program, students conducted an intensive 12-week curriculum that included topics such as data science, statistical modeling, neural networking, and machine learning. The curriculum ended with an eight-week Capstone Project. During that time, participants worked on real-life assignments proposed by partner companies and applied skills learned during the course. This phase includes weekly mentorship sessions to guide participants through the project.
Among the alumni of the program was Reem al Neyad, a graduate of Zayed University who majored in information technology, networking and security. Looking back on her experiences, she said: “I've always been interested in artificial intelligence. My senior project was an AI-powered medical dispenser. Through this program I wanted to build on my experience in Python and machine learning. I've improved my skills in this field.
The ceremony was given a keynote speech by Dr. Aishah Al Yammahi, Strategic Advisor at ALEF Education. The event concluded with presentations of several AI projects developed during the program. This includes Bookbuddy AI, a bilingual support tool that allows children to develop a deeper understanding of language.
About RitDubai
Founded in 2008, RIT Dubai is a non-profit global campus of the revered Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, one of the world's leading technology-focused universities with a history of over 185 years. RIT Dubai is currently operating from Phase 1 of its new, state-of-the-art campus of $136 million, offering over 129,000 square meters of interactive learning space.
RIT Dubai offers highly regarded bachelor's and master's degrees in business, psychology, media design, leadership, engineering and computing. This curriculum provides relevant work experience to students through innovative collaborative education programs, helping them stand out in today's highly competitive job market. RIT Dubai offers American degrees issued directly from the main campus in New York, and all RIT programs are accredited by the UAE Ministry. RIT Dubai students also have the unique opportunity to choose to study abroad at the main campus in New York or one of other global campuses.
